The present invention relates to a shock or vibration damper device for building, such as an oil pressure damper, and to a monitor system and a control system of the shock damper devices for buildings.
Traditionally, to reduce an external force applied to an architectural structure (building), such as an earthquake, from deforming the building, seismic oil pressure dampers 14 (shock or vibration damper devices for a building) are installed in the building such as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 shows the configuration of building 1 which includes columns 3, beams 5, as well as V-shaped braces (intersecting braces) 7.
Under the braces 7, seismic damping structures 10 are provided between the braces 7 and the beams 5 (or floor 8). More particularly, as shown in FIG. 6, a fixed block 12 is integrally provided at each end of the beam 5, and a seismic oil pressure damper 14 is installed between the fixed block 12 and a bottom end 7a of the V-shaped brace 7.
In the seismic oil pressure damper 14, a temperature sensor that detect the oil temperature is provided close to a valve installed en route of an oil path running between a pair of oil chambers. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, two seismic oil pressure dampers 14 are installed per every structural level of the building. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, in the case where each pair of seismic damping structures 10 is installed on each and every five structural levels, a total of ten temperature sensors are established in the structure.
As shown in FIG. 7, the temperature sensors 25A-25J are connected to a computer based controller 35. Further, a memory 37, a control board 39 such as a key board, and a display screen 41 such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) or LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel are also connected to the controller 35. Al of the controller 35, memory 37, control board 39, and display screen 41 are collectively installed in one area, a control room for example, in the building 1.
An operational procedure of a monitor system of the seismic oil pressure dampers 14 in the conventional technology above is explained in the following.
When an external force, such as an earthquake is applied in such a way to deform the building 1, each seismic oil pressure damper 14 will operate either in a compression or decompression manner in response to the deformation of the building.
At this time, the hydraulic fluid in the pair of oil chambers flows from the one oil chamber to the other oil chamber. During this oil flow, the temperature of the oil will rise due to the resistance produced by a narrowed portion of the valve between the oil chambers. Such temperature increase is detected by the temperature sensors 25A-25J and each measured temperature data is sent to the controller 35. The controller 35 controls the memory 37 to store the measured temperature data therein.
After the external force, such as an earthquake, has settled down, an operator will operate the control board 39, which will allow the controller 35 to read the measured temperature data received from each and every temperature sensor 25A-25J stored in the memory 37, and display the data on the display screen 41. When the operator sees the data on the display screen 41, he/she will examine whether the measured temperature values from all of the temperature sensors 25A-25J are about the same.
If the detected temperature from some of the temperature sensors show measured values which are significantly different from that of many other temperature sensors, the operator may speculate a possible fault in the seismic oil pressure damper 14 related to that temperature sensor. In such a case, it is possible to quickly inspect and repair the speculated seismic oil pressure damper 14, replace the seismic oil pressure damper so as to function properly, thereby maintaining the monitor system.
However, in such a conventional monitor system of the shock damper devices, an exclusive network is required to connect between the controller 35, which is provided in the control room in the building 1, and the temperature sensors 25A-25J, which are structured in the seismic oil pressure dampers 14 provided at each architectural level of the building. As a result, the conventional technology involves problems in that it requires materials and components for establishing the dedicated communication network and construction labor for building such network, resulting in the cost increase in material and labor.
This problem is particularly true when the distance between the controller 35 in the building 1 and the seismic oil pressure dampers 14 at each architectural level becomes longer. Such a problem may be alleviated if the seismic oil pressure dampers 14 and the control room having the controller 35 are installed within the same building. However, if they are installed in separate architectural structures, or if the distance between them becomes longer, then the connection by the exclusive network becomes practically impossible.
In addition, even though such connections between the buildings are possible, the longer the distance between the architectural structures becomes, the more decrease in the signal levels such as voltages of signals transmitted through the exclusive network due to the resistance in the network. Because the signal levels are decreased through the consumption by the resistor in the network, it becomes practically impossible to achieve the intended purpose of monitoring the damper devices.
Therefore, in view of the above mentioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide damper devices for an architectural structure with a monitor and control system which does not require an exclusive network for connecting between the damper devices and the monitor and control means, and which is able to conduct monitoring and controlling operations without regard to the distance between the damper devices and the monitor and control means.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a shock damper device with a monitor and control system for an architectural structure which does not require a special communication network between the damper devices and the monitor and control means, thereby making the materials and construction labor for establishing the dedicated communication network unnecessary, resulting in a dramatic reduction in the material and labor cost.
In order to solve the above problems, the shock damper devices of the present invention for architectural structure is comprised of: a detection means for detecting functional conditions of the damper device of the architectural structure, a communication means for transmitting information detected by the detection means through a public communication network and/or a local area network, and a monitor and control means for receiving the information transmitted through the communication means and monitoring the functional conditions of the damper devices of the architectural structure.
According to the configuration of the shock damper device of the architecture structure, the detection means detects the functional conditions of the damper devices of the architectural structure, the communication means sends the detected signal from the detection means to the monitor and control means by using the public communication network and/or local area network, and the monitor and control means receives the detected signals from the detection means and monitors the functional conditions of the damper devices of the architectural structure. Because of this configuration, in the present invention, the dedicated network for connecting the damper device and the monitoring and controlling system used in the conventional technology is no longer necessary. Therefore, the operation of the monitor and control means can be proceeded without regard to the distance between the damper devices and the monitor and control system.